To think Starmer has shot himself in the foot.

Not true. They're firmly aimed at people with physical disabilities who need help with a range of activities including washing themselves below the waist and preparing meals. I've read countless case studies of people including wheelchair users who say they'll have to give up work when they lose their PIP because they won't be able to afford the support required to do their jobs (including getting ready in the morning). The government is, at the same time, curtailing access to work, the scheme which provides in-work support, while pretending that cuts to in work benefits will enable disabled people to..... Work.
Nobody is guaranteed to be "absolutely fine" in this government's game of deserving v undeserving disability.

He’s being an absolute plank.

I’m glad he’s tackled legal migration but strongly disagree with the messaging. Very much agree with PPs this has a demographic element that’s never mentioned. ‘Island of strangers’ is a lousy sentiment.

And in the meantime mimicking the rhetoric of the far right just legitimises them and normalises their basic premise (that immigration is inherently a problem).

Yes, this is the mistake "centrist" liberals make time and again. They mimic the language of the hard right and they think it's a shrewd strategy to cut them off. But they don't do it as well (or as genuinely) as the actual hard right. Starmer's Poundshop Farage bit isn't going to win over anyone who wants to vote for the actual Farage.

And they've always taken their actual progressive voters for granted on the basis that we have nowhere to actually go. That may still be true - the Greens are the only hope - but there are long-term consequences. It worked for Blair in 2005 but the actual electoral turnout collapsed, and I think that deep sense of political alienation seeded where we are now.

I voted Labour to get the Conservatives out. I didn't realise I was voting in another 'Conservative' government. I'm wondering whether to vote Conservative in the next election because I can't stand the thought of Reform. I'm politically homeless.

They are still deciding on what the more stringent assessment criteria will be
How can anyone possibly assess the potential numbers affected.

Whilst I agree announcing something like this and leaving people in limbo is cruel I can understand why they wouldn’t announce and enact it straight away.

The early announcement is letting people know and allowing people to plan ahead.
Not knowing what the more stringent assessment is doesn’t help claimants but it will afford a potentially more accurate assessment come the time.

the idea is to get numbers down and ‘make work pay’ in line with Labours Election slogan.

The Left now are university educated, middle and upper middle class urban people.

Unfortunately for the LP there are not enough of them to comfortably win an election.

Couldn't agree more with the OP. Starmer once again shows himself to be a bad politician, quite apart from anything else. Who does he imagine he pleases? Yes, a grown-up conversation needs to had about immigration, but please, the dog-whistles?

I'd like to see Starmer/Labour draw a link between the issues (cost of living, birth rate and immigration), and I'd prefer that the rhetorical focus was on maintaining a society/economy that is viable in the long term, rather than othering immigrants (and, though he was somewhat balanced, I don't like the use of "Strangers" in his speech).

Yes, I do wonder if they have understood this link themselves, or simply won't speak about it because they think it would look bad.

I don't really see strangers as negative as such though. Strangers are not necessarily bad people, they are just people you don't know. And I think it's a good description of how many people feel now.

They haven't actually done anything yet but make proposals which have to get through parliament.

Yes they are cutting PIP, over 80% of standard rate claimants and nearly 20% of enhanced rate will lose it, it’s disgusting

I haven't voted, because I am not sure what the effect will be. And it will be hard to tease it out as well since there are so many factors in how people vote.

But I will say - he may be looking to what has happened to the Danish Social Democrats, who looked to be in real trouble with their open border type policies. After shifting to a much more restrictive position they regained a lot of their lost popularity.

Not everyone thinking of voting Reform is a disaffected conservative. Increasingly there are left of center people considering it, and the traditional wcr voters now supporting Reform were, don't forget, originally Labour voters.

So I wouldn't dismiss it as a strategy too quickly.

I will say - I am somewhat shocked that Starmer has managed to get this change in direction from his MPs but still is struggling with getting them to agree that men are not women.

And its attitudes and quotes like this which will allow the country to walk into a Reform majority come the next election. During the recent local elections, people were sending out a clear message. Yet we still have people refusing to believe it can be a reality and ignoring the message.

The cuts aren’t aimed at people with serious physical disabilities though. They’ll be absolutely fine. His target is the people who are very much the lower end of relying on PIP. I think we can all agree that the system needs to be reviewed.

Lol you need to visit Oldham or Rochdale. I’m a lefty but even I can see that there are issues regards immigration and ignoring it will only lead to Farage.

The country really didn’t vote for ‘Labour’ values tbh. Like it or not Farage and the Tories would win an election if they merged. Reform came second in many constituencies which tells me that people rightly or wrongly want right wing policies. They’re happy to accept losing the NHS, seeing benefits cut as long as immigration gets reduced/sorted out. And to say he had so much support is ludicrous, what percentage of the vote did he win ? Typical MN echo chamber, living in nice leafy suburbs and haven’t got a clue how left behind parts of the country are.
He’s been lambasted from day one, despite actually doing some decent stuff. He’s attacked from the right and from salty vocal Corbynites who’ve never got over Jezza losing. There’s positive legislation in the pipeline but it’s never good enough and folk are too lazy to do any research.

Deeds not words. He's got time to show what he's going to do. That's what people will judge him on

Further and faster was his gut reaction though. More cuts for those who don't vote for him?

What actually do reform have to offer?

Nigel Farage. Let the smug, lazy git who can barely be bothered to set foot in his constituency retire (probably abroad!) before the next election and Reform will wither and die like UKIP before it.

He should leave the Tories and Reform to split the immigrant haters between them and maybe try to do something for those of us who have other priorities. I voted Labour at the last election but I guess it's back to the Lib Dems.

He is coming across as a complete twit. For or against he is talking total nonsense.

Who even are the left anymore?

Labour used to be about the working class and the working class are at the end of their tether with uncontrolled mass immigration and all its consequences and are turning their backs on Labour in the droves and will vote for anyone who pledges to sort it out (Reform leading all polls).

Middle class lefties in their pretty villages or suburbia are immune to all this. Let them vote Green or Lib Dem.

Well as this govt and all of us have got 4 more years until the next election..

The proof of the pudding is going to be the thing that makes a difference. Will this direction and policies make a difference?

What actually do reform have to offer?
After the summer of last year I fear race riots. Worse, the next time.

What’s the actual answer?

First decent thing he's done.